Where did the Christmas tree come from? New Year's tree The name of the New Year's tree is modern.

20.10.2019

The tradition of celebrating New Year's holidays with a Christmas tree has entered our everyday life so much that almost no one asks the questions: where did the Christmas tree come from? What does it symbolize? Why is the tree an integral attribute for Christmas and? When did our Christmas tree appear and where did it come from, we will try to find out in this article. In 1906, the philosopher Vasily Rozanov wrote: “Many years ago I was surprised to learn that The custom of the Christmas tree is not one of the indigenous Russian customs. The Christmas tree has now become so firmly entrenched in Russian society that it would never occur to anyone that she's not Russian…»

As you already know from the article, he brought the tradition of celebrating the New Year with a Christmas tree to Russia by decree in 1699. Here is a small fragment from this decree (letter " ъ"at the end of words is not readable):

“...now from the Nativity of Christ the year 1699 has reached, and on the 1st of January the new year 1700 will begin, together with a new century of centuries, and for this good and useful purpose, the Great Sovereign has indicated that henceforth it will be counted in Orders and in all matters and fortresses to be written from the present January from the 1st of the Nativity of Christ 1700. And as a sign of that good beginning and the new centenary century in the reigning city, after due thanksgiving to God and prayer singing in the church and whoever happens in his home, along the large and well-traveled streets of noble people and at houses of deliberate spiritual and temporal rank in front of the gate it is possible to make some decorations from trees and branches of pine, spruce and juniper against the samples that were made in the Gostin Dvor and at the lower pharmacy, or to whomever is more convenient and decent, depending on the place and the gate...”

However, the decree of Emperor Peter had only an indirect relation to the future Christmas tree: firstly, the city was decorated not only with spruce trees, but also with other coniferous trees; secondly, the decree recommended the use of both whole trees and branches, and, finally, thirdly, decorations from pine needles were ordered to be installed not indoors, but outside - on gates, roofs of taverns, streets and roads. This turned the tree into a detail of the New Year's city landscape, and not of the Christmas interior, which it became much later. The text of the sovereign's decree shows us that for Peter, in the custom he introduced, which he became acquainted with during his European trip, aesthetics were important - houses and streets were ordered to be decorated with pine needles; so is the symbolism - decorations from evergreen needles should have been created to commemorate the celebration.

It is important that Peter’s decree of December 20, 1699 is almost the only document on the history of the Christmas tree in Russia in the 18th century. After the death of the impostor, they stopped putting up New Year trees. Only tavern owners decorated their houses with them, and these trees stood on taverns all year round - hence their name - “ tree sticks».

The sovereign's instructions were preserved only in decoration drinking establishments, which continued to be decorated before the New Year. Taverns were identified by these trees, which were tied to a stake, installed on the roofs, or stuck at the gates. The trees stood there until the next year, on the eve of which the old ones were replaced with new ones. Having arisen as a result of Peter's decree, this custom was maintained throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Pushkin in “The History of the Village of Goryukhin” mentions “an ancient public building decorated with a Christmas tree and the image of a double-headed eagle”. This characteristic detail was well known and was reflected from time to time in many works of Russian literature. Sometimes, instead of a Christmas tree, pine trees were placed on the roofs of taverns: “The tavern building... consisted of an old two-story hut with a high roof... At the top of it stood a red withered pine; its thin, withered branches seemed to be calling for help.”

And in the poem by N.P. Kilberg’s 1872 “Yolka”, the coachman is sincerely surprised that the master cannot recognize it as a drinking establishment based on the Christmas tree driven at the door of the hut:

“We’ve arrived!.. we’re rushing through the village like an arrow,
Suddenly the horses stood in front of a dirty hut,
Where there is a Christmas tree at the door...
What is this?.. - What an eccentric master you are,
Don't you know?.. After all this is a pub!..»

That is why people began to call taverns “Yolki” or “Ivan-Yolkin”: “ Let's go to the Christmas tree and have a drink for the holiday»; « Apparently, you were visiting Ivan Yolkin, that you are swaying from side to side»; « the tree (tavern) sweeps the house cleaner than a broom" Soon, the whole complex of “alcoholic” concepts gradually acquired “Christmas tree” doublets: “ raise the tree" - to get drunk, " go under the tree" or " the tree has fallen, let's go pick it up" - go to the tavern, " be under the tree» – to be in a tavern; " Yolkin» – state of alcoholic intoxication, etc.

Where did the Christmas tree holiday originate?

It turns out that many Europeanized Slavic-Aryan peoples have long used Christmas or yuletide log, a huge piece of wood or stump, which was lit on the hearth on the first day of Christmas and gradually burned down during the twelve days of the holiday. According to popular belief, carefully storing a piece of Christmas log throughout the year protected the house from fire and lightning, provided the family with an abundance of grain, and helped livestock bear offspring easily. Stumps of spruce and beech trunks were used as Christmas logs. Among the southern Slavs, this is the so-called bad guy, among the Scandinavians - juldlock, among the French - le buche de Noël(Christmas block of wood, which, in fact, if you read these words in Russian, we get buh - Russian butt - the reverse side of an axe-axe, it is quite a block of wood or a log; and no-yol is similar to a fusion of words - Norwegian Christmas tree or new New Year tree , or the best and most accurate hit night tree).

The history of the transformation of spruce into a Christmas tree has not yet been accurately restored. All we know for sure is that it happened on the territory Germany, where spruce in Vedic times was especially revered and was identified with the world tree: “ The queen of German forests was the evergreen spruce" It was here, among the ancient Slavs, the ancestors of the Germans, that it first became a New Year’s symbol, and later a Christmas plant symbol. Among the Germanic peoples, there has long been a custom of going to the forest for the New Year, where the spruce tree chosen for the ritual role was illuminated with candles and decorated with colored rags, after which appropriate rituals were performed near or around it.

Over time, spruce trees began to be cut down and brought into the house, where they were placed on the table. Lighted candles were attached to the tree, and apples and sugar products were hung on it. The emergence of the cult of spruce as a symbol of undying nature was facilitated by its evergreen cover, which made it possible to use it during the winter holiday season, which was a transformation of the long-known custom of decorating houses with evergreens.

After the baptism and Latinization of the Slavic peoples (pure-blooded Germans are not Aryans, but Slavs, or rather the Holy Russians - blue-eyed and fair-haired) inhabiting the territory of modern Germany, customs and rituals associated with the veneration of spruce began to gradually acquire a Christian meaning, and it began to be used in quality christmas tree, installing in houses not on, but on Christmas Eve, i.e. Christmas Eve of the Sun (god), December 24, which is why it received the name of the Christmas tree - Weihnachtsbaum (an interesting word, which if read in parts and in Russian is very similar to the following - holy night log, where if to Weih add “s”, we get a Russian word holy or light). From now on on Christmas Eve (Weihnachtsabend) The festive mood began to be created not only by Christmas carols, but also by the Christmas tree with candles burning on it.

A Christmas tree with candles and decorations was first mentioned in 1737 year. Fifty years later there is a record from a certain baroness who claims that in every German home “a fir tree is prepared, covered with candles and sweets, with magnificent lighting”.

In France, the custom persisted for a long time burn a Christmas log on Christmas Eve (le buche de Noël), and the Christmas tree was digested more slowly and not as readily as in northern countries. In the story-stylization of the emigrant writer M.A. Struve’s “Paris Letter,” which describes the “first Parisian impressions” of a Russian youth who celebrated Christmas in 1868, says: “The room... greeted me decorated, but Christmas trees, dear to me according to St. Petersburg custom, even if only the smallest one, in it it didn't turn out…»

Charles Dickens, in his 1830 essay “Christmas Dinner,” while describing the English Christmas, does not yet mention the tree, but writes about the traditional mistletoe branch in England, under which boys, according to custom, kiss their cousins, and the holly branch adorning the top of the giant pudding ...

Now, knowing the truth about the tree and the holidays associated with it, you can perfectly celebrate the Christmas of the Sun (read my article for details) without a tree, and without Santa Claus, and without and not at midnight, and most importantly - on the present day Birth of the Sun, which is celebrated in the evening from December 24th to 25th, and not in our style from January 6th to 7th.

It turns out that the entire Christian world is celebrating correctly Christmas of the Sun, and us Russians, as always, deceived And slipped We have alien gods, alien traditions and holidays, and on days alien to the truth! As you celebrate, don’t forget why everyone has gathered at the table and whose Christmas you are celebrating...

Hello my dear friend! What is the main attribute of the New Year holiday? Definitely a Christmas tree. What do we know about her?

Petrovich went into the web and found an article on our friend Alexander Mishchenko’s classmate page, signed “Vladimir Solnyshko.” We really liked the article (it’s a big one and there are several topics), so we decided to introduce you to it in parts. And today I present excerpts from this article - about Yolka.

Spruce, pine, and cedar emit oxygen all year round. At any time of the year they delight us with their green outfit. Therefore, the Russian people have a special respect for these trees.

Take a closer look and you will see that this tree has a pyramidal shape, directed upward to the Sun, to the Stars, to the distant Worlds. Her whole appearance says that she looks like a space antenna. And the needles on the branches look like antennas; they sensitively listen to the voice of the Universe. Our ancestors knew well about the properties of spruce. They knew that this sacred tree was a kind of energy transceiver connecting CheloVeche with the cosmos.

Russians have always revered spruce and considered it "World Tree" (tree) - a tree that brings Peace and Prosperity to the Family, Family, Russian People, Humanity. Therefore, each family grew a World Tree from a seed near their home and cherished it with the whole family. In a village or other settlement, the World Tree of a given community of people was grown in a place of honor. On holidays, people danced around the food, sang songs, praised life itself, and made three cherished wishes. Usually the tree was decorated with hand-made items symbolizing the desires of these people. The miracle tree was often decorated with balls. The ball represents the Sun, the Sun of our Soul, the Spiritual body of the Russian Human Being. It is customary to make a wish when hanging a ball on a branch.

The more significant the Man’s wish, the higher to the top of the tree he hangs the decoration with the wish. Simple, everyday, household desires in the form of decorations are hung on the lower branches of the spruce tree. On the middle part of the tree there are decorations that personify the achievement of some creative abilities of the Human Being in the next Summer (year). The upper part was decorated with the most cherished desires of people and glories to the Family, to one’s Family, to one’s People, to Life Itself, to the Sun, to Mother Earth. And the spruce and the solemnity of the action are amplifiers of people’s good aspirations. Good dreams, good undertakings of people are pleasant to Everyone, therefore Nature strengthens them tens, hundreds, thousands of times. Dreams of benefit for the evolution of Man, Mankind and Nature are coming true.

The living Christmas tree enjoys the mission convey good wishes to Space, to the Universe . And people enjoy dancing round dances around her. People come to all Russian holidays with a clear conscience, a sober mind, an open Russian Soul and a cheerful Mood. Where spruce does not grow, cedar or pine is planted.

Obviously, only a living tree that is grown with care and love can strengthen and convey the good wishes of kind people.

Let's consider two more options - artificial trees and trees from the forest.

Artificial Christmas trees are good as part of the New Year's ritual - they sparkle with garland lights and various toys. There is a type of holiday, there are gifts under the Christmas tree. There is no just strengthening of people's good wishes.

Christmas tree from the forest. Who thought about the essence of this ritual? Who invented this ritual and why? As the children sing while dancing under the tree on New Year’s Day: “They cut down our tree to the very root.” We now read verbatim: “They cut down the World Tree.” Even according to current laws, cutting down a Christmas tree is a criminal offense. What kind of happiness in your home, in your city, in your country can you dream of after such actions? But many still buy such trees every year and take them home for their children and grandchildren. They decorate schools, houses of culture, squares, the Kremlin... To make it easier to understand, ask someone to hit you on your big toe with a hammer, and then have them hang you with decorations and make wishes. I wonder how you will feel towards this subject? After such an attitude towards the World Tree, who will fulfill your innermost desires? Wait, wait...

But that is not all. Joyful parents or grandparents brought the Christmas tree home and decorated it. The children rejoice and dance around the Christmas tree. Allegedly, at first glance, everything is fine, but something is not right - the tree is not alive. What does it mean? And the fact that she now needs energy to prolong her life - the energy of life. Where can I get it? The roots have been cut off. This means from the environment, primarily from those who joyfully dance around it. It seems like they did a good deed. What's good?

And, in addition, as the holidays end, there are heaps of discarded Christmas trees lying everywhere in all cities and villages, which means that the dreams of those who threw away the Christmas tree will remain with the Christmas trees. And then they will declare that their dreams did not come true. How can they be fulfilled if they were thrown away?

Now decide for yourself which option for celebrating the New Year you like: with a Living Christmas Tree, an artificial one, or one from the forest. Should you personally give traders a reason to cut down a Christmas tree in the forest in order to sell it to you and make a profit? Look at the photo. Nice? And if you refuse to buy such trees, then the traders will not go into the forest. The forest will thank you. There will be a lot of clean air.

The custom of putting up a Christmas tree at home for the New Year holiday came to Rus' quite recently, a little over a century and a half ago. And, like many other things brought to us from Western Europe, it turned out, to put it mildly, not entirely useful...

The tradition of celebrating New Year's holidays with a Christmas tree has entered our everyday life so much that almost no one asks the questions: where did the Christmas tree come from? What does it symbolize? Why is the Christmas tree an integral attribute for Christmas and New Year? When did our Christmas tree appear and where did it come from, we will try to find out in this article. In 1906, the philosopher Vasily Rozanov wrote: “ Many years ago I was surprised to learn that The custom of the Christmas tree is not one of the indigenous Russian customs. The Christmas tree has now become so firmly entrenched in Russian society that it would never occur to anyone that she's not Russian… »

As you already know from the article “What do we celebrate on the New Year”, the tradition of celebrating the New Year with a Christmas tree was brought to Russia by the false Peter I in 1699. Here is a small fragment from this decree (the letter “ъ” at the end of the words is not readable):

«… Now from the Nativity of Christ the year 1699 has reached, and on the 1st of January the new year 1700 will begin, together with a new centenary century, and for that good and useful purpose, the Great Sovereign has indicated that henceforth the dates should be counted in the Orders and in all matters and fortresses to be written from the current Genvar with 1st of the Nativity of Christ 1700. And as a sign of that good beginning and the new centenary century in the reigning city of Moscow, after due thanksgiving to God and prayer singing in the church and whoever happens in his home, along the large and well-traveled noble streets, to noble people and at houses of deliberate spiritual and temporal rank before it is possible to make the gates with some decorations from trees and branches of pine, spruce and juniper against the samples that were made in the Gostin Dvor and at the lower pharmacy, or for whomever is more convenient and decent, depending on the place and the gate…»

The sovereign's instructions were preserved only in decoration drinking establishments, which continued to be decorated with Christmas trees before the New Year. Taverns were identified by these trees, which were tied to a stake, installed on the roofs, or stuck at the gates. The trees stood there until the next year, on the eve of which the old ones were replaced with new ones. Having arisen as a result of Peter's decree, this custom was maintained throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Pushkin in “The History of the Village of Goryukhin” mentions “ an ancient public building decorated with a Christmas tree and the image of a double-headed eagle.” This characteristic detail was well known and was reflected from time to time in many works of Russian literature. Sometimes, instead of a Christmas tree, pine trees were placed on the roofs of taverns: “The tavern building... consisted of an old two-story hut with a high roof... At the top of it stood a red withered pine; its thin, withered branches seemed to be calling for help».

It is difficult to imagine the most anticipated holiday of the year, loved by children and adults, without such a classic attribute as the New Year tree. The history of the tradition that commands us to decorate this tree for the holiday goes back centuries. When did people start decorating evergreen trees in Russia and other countries, what made them do it?

What does the Christmas tree symbolize?

The inhabitants of the ancient world sincerely believed in the magical powers that trees possessed. It was believed that spirits, evil and good, were hiding in their branches, which should be pacified. It is not surprising that trees became objects of various cults. they worshiped them, addressed prayers to them, asked for mercy and protection. So that the spirits would not remain indifferent, they were presented with treats (fruits, sweets), which were hung on the branches or laid out nearby.

Why were not the pines, eucalyptus, oaks and other species decorated, but the Christmas tree? The New Year's story contains many beautiful legends on this topic. The most truthful version is that the coniferous beauty was chosen due to its ability to remain green, no matter what time of year it came. This made the inhabitants of the ancient world consider it a symbol of immortality.

History of the Christmas tree: Europe

The custom, as residents of the modern world know it, developed in medieval Europe. There are different assumptions about when exactly the history of the New Year tree began. Initially, people limited themselves to small branches of pine or spruce that were hung in the house. However, gradually the branches were replaced by entire trees.

If you believe the legend, the history of the New Year tree is closely connected with the famous reformer from Germany. While walking in the evening on Christmas Eve, the theologian admired the beauty of the stars shining in the sky. Arriving home, he placed a small Christmas tree on the table and decorated it using candles. To decorate the top of the tree, Martin chose a star that symbolized the one that helped the wise men find the Baby Jesus.

Of course, this is just a legend. However, there are also official mentions of the Christmas tree, falling approximately on the same time period. For example, it was written about in French chronicles for the year 1600. The first New Year's trees were miniature in size; they were placed on tables or hung from walls and ceilings. However, in the 17th century there were already large Christmas trees in houses. Deciduous trees, which were previously also used to decorate homes before the holidays, were completely forgotten.

Christmas trees in Russia: ancient times

It is believed that the first who tried to make this tree a symbol of the change of year was Peter the Great. In fact, even the ancient Slavic tribes treated coniferous vegetation with special trepidation; they already had a kind of “Christmas tree”. The story goes that our ancestors, in the depths of winter, held dances and sang songs near this tree. The goal for which all this was done was the awakening of the spring goddess Zhiva. She was required to interrupt the reign of Santa Claus and rid the earth of its icy shackles.

Christmas trees in Russia: Middle Ages

Peter the Great really tried to consolidate in our country such a wonderful custom as the New Year tree. The story tells that the emperor first saw the decorated tree in the house of German friends with whom he celebrated Christmas. The idea made a huge impression on him: a spruce tree decorated with candies and fruits instead of ordinary cones. Peter the Great ordered the meeting in accordance with German traditions. However, his heirs forgot about this decree for many years.

In this case, the question arises: where did the New Year tree come from in Russia? This would not have happened for a long time if Catherine the Second had not ordered to put up trees during the holidays. However, conifers were not decorated until the mid-19th century. It was then that the Germans, who missed this cheerful tradition in Russia, installed the first decorated Christmas tree in St. Petersburg.

Unfortunately, it made a lovely family tradition illegal for almost two decades. The Soviet government declared the decoration of coniferous trees a “bourgeois whim.” In addition, at this time there was an active struggle with the church, and the spruce was considered one of the Christmas symbols. However, many inhabitants of Russia at that time did not abandon this beautiful custom. It got to the point that the tree began to be installed secretly by the rebels.

What events does the history of the New Year tree in Russia consist of? Briefly speaking, already in 1935 the tradition became legal again. This happened thanks to Pavel Postyshev, who “allowed” the holiday. However, people were categorically forbidden to call the trees “Christmas”, only “New Year’s”. But the first day of January was returned to its status as a day off.

First Christmas trees for children

A year after the forest beauty returned to the homes of people celebrating the main holiday of the year, a large-scale celebration was organized, held in the House of Unions. This officially began the history of the New Year tree in Russia for children, for whom this celebration was organized. Since then, similar events have traditionally been held in children's institutions with the obligatory distribution of gifts and the calling of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden.

Kremlin Christmas tree

Kremlin Square has been one of the favorite places to celebrate the New Year for Moscow residents for many years. All other Russians do not forget to turn on the TV to admire the majestic Christmas tree, decorated in honor of the arrival of the New Year. The first installation of a coniferous tree, symbolizing eternal life, on Kremlin Square took place back in 1954.

Where did the tinsel come from?

Having understood the history of the appearance of the main thing, one cannot help but become interested in its decorations. For example, such a wonderful tradition as the use of tinsel also came to us from Germany, where it appeared in the 17th century. In those days, it was made from real silver, which was cut thinly, becoming a silvery “rain”, thanks to which the Christmas tree shone. The history of the appearance of modern products made of foil and polyvinyl chloride in Russia is not precisely known.

Interestingly, there is a beautiful legend associated with Christmas tree tinsel. In ancient times, there lived a woman who was the mother of many children. The family was chronically short of money, so the woman was unable to properly decorate the New Year’s symbol; the tree was left practically without decorations. When the family fell asleep, the spiders created a web on the tree. The gods, to reward the mother for her kindness to others, allowed the web to become shining silver.

Back in the middle of the last century, tinsel was only silver. Currently, you can purchase this decoration in almost any color. The characteristics of the materials used for manufacturing make the products extremely durable.

A few words about lighting

As already mentioned, it was customary not only to decorate coniferous trees brought into the house for the New Year, but also to illuminate them. For a long time, only candles were used for these purposes, which were securely attached to the branches. The debate about who exactly came up with the idea of using garlands is still not over. What does history say about how the New Year tree with modern lighting appeared?

The most common theory says that the idea of lighting the evergreen beauty with electricity was first expressed by the American Johnson. This proposal was successfully implemented by his compatriot Maurice, an engineer by profession. It was he who first created a garland, assembling this convenient structure from a large number of small light bulbs. Humanity first saw a holiday tree illuminated in this way in Washington.

The evolution of Christmas tree decorations

It’s hard to imagine a modern New Year tree without garland and tinsel. However, it is even more difficult to refuse elegant toys that easily create a festive atmosphere. Interestingly, the first Christmas tree decorations in Russia were edible. To decorate the symbol of the New Year, dough figures wrapped in foil were created. The foil could be golden, silver, or painted in bright colors. Fruits and nuts were also hung on the branches. Gradually, other available materials began to be used to create decor.

Some time later, glass products, mainly produced in Germany, began to be imported into the country. But local glassblowers quickly mastered the manufacturing technology, as a result of which bright toys began to be created in Russia. In addition to glass, materials such as cotton wool and cardboard were actively used. The first ones were distinguished by their significant weight; by the beginning of the 20th century, craftsmen began to produce thin glass.

Around the beginning of the 70s, people had to forget about unique jewelry designs. “Balls”, “icicles”, “bells” were stamped on conveyors by factories that used the same technologies. Interesting specimens came across less and less often; the same toys hung in different houses. Fortunately, these days, finding truly original Christmas tree decorations is no longer a difficult task.

A few words about the star

Decorating a tree for the holiday is fun with your child, who will love the story of where the Christmas tree came from. The story of its appearance in Russia will become even more interesting for children if you don’t forget to tell them about the star. In the USSR, it was decided to abandon the classical one that showed the way to the baby Jesus. Its alternative was a red ruby item, reminiscent of those placed on the Kremlin towers. Sometimes such stars were produced along with light bulbs.

Interestingly, there is no analogue of the Soviet star in the whole world. Of course, modern products for decorating the top of a Christmas tree look much more attractive and interesting.

This is a brief summary of the life of the New Year tree, the history of its appearance in Russia as a classic attribute of the holiday.